Zucchini and Rice Skillet

Way back when I first stumbled upon the Pinterest world, I pinned a recipe that sparked some interest to me. Funny how when I look through all of my pins, how many of the food items I have yet to try.

This past week, I decided that I was going to add this into the mix. I changed up the originally recipe a bit because I was afraid that the original was going to lack a little flavor and would leave the stomach still wanting more. 

Our little family really enjoyed this dish. I especially liked that it was a one pot meal which meant less dishes for me!! It's really a win-win. I hope you enjoy it. I'd love to hear your feedback.

Zucchini, Beans and Beef Skillet

photo courtesy of this blog

1/2 pound beef

1 1/2 c. sliced zucchini, washed and cut in quarters
1/2 c. green bell pepper

1/2 c. red bell pepper

1/2 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 - 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes, diced (I used the kind seasoned with garlic) UNDRAINED

3/4 c. water

1 c . instant brown rice, uncooked

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1) In a skillet on medium-high heat, dropped your ground beef into medium sized chunks and cook until cooked through.

2) Drain most of the grease (reserving 1-2 T of drippings in the pan) and add in onions, bell peppers, zucchini and garlic. Cook until veggies are a bit soft (just about 5 minutes).

3) Add beans, undrained tomatoes and water and turn heat on high and bring to a boil.

4) Add in uncooked rice. Stir well.

5) Cover and remove from heat and let stand for about 9 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
6) Garnish with cheddar cheese and serve. 

this recipe was adapted from this blog

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Lazy Day Enchilada's

I have a soft spot for Mexican food. It's not due to a vacation to Spain or Mexico, or because my family has Spanish blood. Hell...it's not even because I know how to speak Spanish. Lol.

I guess Mexican/Spanish cuisine is my favorite because of all the flavors. As you'll begin to see, I love foods that pack a lot of flavor and make my tastes buds dance! Because of the richness and complex flavors of Mexican cuisine, it inspires me. And that is why I believe it is my favorite. Rounding out my "top three favorite foods of all times list" are Italian and Lebanese.

Anyway...I love the simplicity of crock pot cooking. I was in the mood for enchilada's but wanted to do something different. So, I got to work in the kitchen and came up with an enchilada that mimicked a lasagna and called on my crock pot to help me.

I hope you enjoy this as much as my family did!

Lazy Day Enchilada's

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 medium sized red onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1- 15oz can chili beans, drained 

1-10oz can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, drained

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

2 T cumin

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. paprika

2 C. shredded cheddar cheese

8 whole wheat tortillas (soft taco or fajita sized)

1 Cup Melissa's Enchilada Sauce

cilantro and sour cream for garnish

1)  Turn crock pot on high.

2) In a large pan, cook beef over medium heat for 5 minutes.

3) Add in onion, peppers and garlic and sauté until beef is cooked through and onions are semi-tender.

4) Add in beans, tomatoes and all other seasonings and cook for 10 minutes.

5) Your crock pot should be up to temp. When it is, throw tortilla's under your ovens broiler (or at 400*) until they are slightly crispy. I did this because I was afraid of having soggy tortillas.

6) Put tortillas down to cover the bottom of the crock pot. Depending on the size of the crock pot you are using, this may just be one or could be 1 1/2. Just cover the bottom.

7) Spoon 1/4 of the beef mixture onto the tortilla, then cover with 1/4 of the cheese. And repeat until the top layer is the beef mixture (don't add the rest of your cheese yet).

8) Pour enchilada sauce over the beef then top with remaining cheese.

8)Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Everything is already cooked but this just helps to marry the flavors, melt the cheese, and cook those tortillas.

When ready, spoon onto plates and garnish with chopped cilantro and a dollop of sour cream!! Go ahead and put more of that wonderful enchilada sauce on for good measure!

(because my boyfriend and I love our enchilada sauce a bit spicy, we don't add it to the crock pot since my daughter has a more sensitive tongue. We will spoon it on our individual servings and tastes just as wonderful as it would if it was on there the whole time)

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Stuffed Pepper Soup

One of Shawn's all-time favorite meals is stuffed peppers. And its specific to who makes them. They have to be Cheryl's stuffed peppers. I will side with him that they are pretty darn good. Ok...they are awesome. There!

So I was cruising through the food section on the app that I am addicted to these days (you know the one) and saw a recipe for stuffed pepper soup from The Country Cook's blog. I was inspired but knew that I could make a few changes to it to make it my own and more in line with the stuffed pepper flavor that our family loves.

I got all the ingredients ready and started making it and could tell that by the smell of the kitchen, that it was going to be darn tasty. And it was!!! I even took some over to my dad for dinner that night (because he hadn't' eaten and he wanted to see the new car Shawn and I bought). He was very hesitant of a soup inspired by a meal but yesterday I got a text that said "Soup was TASTY! Share the recipe please". Well Dad, you got it!!!

I hope you enjoy this recipe. As written below, it is for a stove top, but can easily be adapted into a crock pot method. At the end of the recipe will be how to do it in the crock pot.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

1 lb. Ground Beef

1 small red onion, finely diced

1 medium green bell pepper, diced

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (29 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes, preferably seasoned with garlic and oregano

1 can (14oz) tomato sauce (or Italian Sauce)

1 - 14oz can beef broth

2 cups cooked rice

1 T. white sugar

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp dried oregano

1 T. dried minced onion

salt and pepper, to taste

shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream for garnish (optional but strongly suggested!!)

1) In your large stock pot, brown your beef for 4-5 minutes. Add your peppers, onion, and garlic and continue to cook until cooked through.

2) Drain off grease and put back into the pot.

3) Add in garlic powder, oregano and minced onion.

4) Stir in canned tomatoes, beef brother and tomato sauce.

5) Add sugar and salt and pepper and bring to a light boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and allow to cook for two hours.

6) Add in your rice during the last 15 minutes and serve.

You can choose to cut the cooking time down but I believe that a good flavorful soup comes from allowing it to cook on low for a few hours. If you choose to make this a quick soup, add in your rice with the tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes and serve.

*To make this in a crock pot, follow the directions as written through step 5. You'll put all the ingredients into the crock pot set on low and cook for 4-6 hours. When you come home, add in the cooked rice and turn on high for 30 minutes or so. Then serve.

I garnish mine with a good pinch of cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

Dinner is served!

*recipe adapted from www.thecountrycook.net, photo courtesy of www.ziplist.com)

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Taco Stuffed Squash

Over the last few years, I have discovered that I really like yellow squash. My mom had a pretty sizable garden for a number of years while I was younger. For a few summers, I remember growing all kinds of corn, tomatoes, and peppers and we would set up a little table at the end of the driveway and sell to the neighbors. I don't think we ever got rich off of it but it was a nice way to get rid of extras and make a few dollars for mom and dad's hard work.

Anyway...Mom was always growing and preparing zucchini and I always liked it. I still do. But I really think these days if I have to choose between yellow squash and zucchini as a cooked vegetable, I'll go with the yellow squash any day!

I stopped at a local farmers market a few weeks ago (ok...maybe a month and a half ago but its all the same the way this summer flew by). I picked up a handful of zucchini and yellow squash, red bell peppers and green onions for an idea that I had.

I also have a fond place in my heart for anything mexican, especially tacos.  I just love tacos!! Well...trying to slim down, eating tacos doesn't really fit into the dinner scenario much. So I wanted to try something that I thought would be good.

Well the result was a pretty awesome and healthy dinner and I wanted to share it with you!!! I will update the post next time I make these with a step by step picture guide because I realize explaining it might be a bit confusing for a step or two. In the meantime, go support your local farms by grabbing these ingredients and have a new twist on tacos!!! I mean it...GO NOW!!!

Taco Stuffed Squash (or Zucchini)

2 - Medium to Large size Yellow Squash or Zucchini, washed

1/2 Medium sized Red Bell Pepper, chopped

1/2 Medium sized Green Bell Pepper, chopped

2 Green onions, chopped (seperate white and green parts)
1/2 Cup Red Onion, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
3/4 Pound of Ground Turkey (or beef if you'd like)
3 Tablespoons of Taco Seasoning (more or less to taste)
1 Cup Shredded Cheese (I used reduce fat Mexican blend)
Sour Cream (for garnish)
Cilantro (for garnish)

(recipe makes 4 stuffed boats)
1) Preheat oven to 400 Degrees.
2) Spray a tad bit of Olive Oil in a medium skillet set to medium heat. Saute bell peppers and onions for 3-4 minutes. Add in the white part of the green onion and garlic. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
3) Add in the ground meat to your veggies in the pan. Add the taco seasoning to the meat and stir. cook until meat is thoroughly cooked.
4) While your meat is cooking, cut your squash in half long ways. (To create two 'boats'). Take a spoon and spoon out the insides of the squash. (I will post pictures of this part to clear up confusion). If you'd like you can chopped up the scooped out part and add it to your meat mixture. If not, throw it away.
5) Once your meat is cooked, remove from heat. Place the squash on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with olive oil. Sprinkle the hollowed-out squash with just a tad of salt and pepper. Spoon meat mixture into each squash boat. You'll want to make them heap a little because it will settle in the oven.
6) Cook in the oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pull them out, top them with  cheese mixture and cook to melt the cheese. I have found that if you're using zucchini it tends to cook faster. Reduce cook time by 2 minutes (or keep an eye on them so they dont get soogy)
7) Garnish them with the green part of the green onion, sour cream and cilantro. I like to add a dash or two of my favorite hot sauce too to give it a kick.

This recipe may seem intimidating but its SO easy and is VERY tasty!!!!

 

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